Maui Scuba Diving Certification: How to Prepare

You want to get your scuba diving certification in Maui, but how do you prepare? Maui features two styles of diving: shore and boat dives. You might find shore diving most suitable for getting a scuba certification. Shore diving in Lahaina you can see Hawaiian Green Turtles, White Tip Reef Sharks, and corals in the warm Pacific Ocean. Read on to choose the best Maui scuba certification for you!

Choose a Dive Agency

PADI, SSI, NAUI, BSAC, and CMAS, are acronyms for some of the biggest scuba diving agencies. You can choose what kind of scuba agency to pursue based on your area’s availability. PADI and SSI are probably the most recognized certification distributors worldwide; PADI is the most widely recognized certifier globally.

Banyan Tree Divers Maui sets up the best PADI scuba courses! Aside from being the most reputable and recognized scuba certification agency, PADI courses offer standardized curriculums. These courses are approachable for a range of comfort levels and abilities. Whether you are just starting your scuba diving journey or looking to become a professional diver, PADI’s structured courses provide seamless training no matter where you are scuba diving.

You might ask, “Since my vacation time in Maui is limited, how many days does it take to get a scuba certification in Lahaina?” This question does not have a straightforward answer, I’m afraid. My first question in response would be, “What kind of diving do you hope to be doing once you are scuba certified?”

Shore diving in Maui welcomes all experience levels, but you might find Australia’s Great Barrier Reef or Indonesia’s Komodo National Park requiring more advanced skills. So it’s best to choose the diving course that best reflects the scuba diving you hope to do.

PADI Scuba Diver

If you come to Maui often, perhaps once a year, and don’t plan to dive more than one trip per year, the PADI Scuba Diver course might be perfect for you. PADI Scuba Diver is an introductory diving certification. It is valid for life and internationally recognized. It takes 1 to 2 days to complete and certifies you to a depth of 40 feet, under professional supervision.

While Scuba Diver is a certification, it does NOT allow you to rent gear or dive independently of a professional. These are the big differences compared to the Open Water Diver course. However, if you plan to keep dives shallow and always hire a guide, PADI Scuba Diver works great!

PADI Open Water Diver

The PADI Open Water Diver course remains the most widely recognized dive course for new divers. Everyone takes the first step with the PADI Open Water course, whether you want to keep your dives shallow or go deep diving. Your PADI Open Water certification allows a maximum depth of 60 feet, is valid for life, and has international recognition. After earning your Open Water scuba certification, you may rent dive equipment and get underwater with a buddy.

However, Banyan Tree Divers Maui strongly recommends many dives under your belt before diving without a guide. The course takes 2 to 3 days and brings a more in-depth approach than the PADI Scuba Diver course.

PADI Open Water Referral Course

What can you do when you have minimal vacation time to scuba dive in Maui but still want to complete the entire PADI Open Water Diver course? One way is to complete your PADI Open Water Referral Dives with us in Lahaina, Hawaii.

The PADI Open Water program comprises academics, confined water skills, and open water training dives. With this Referral option, you would complete the knowledge review questions, quizzes, final exam, and shallow water skills with your local dive shop before arriving in Hawaii. Your local dive shop instructor supplies you with referral paperwork to pass on to your new instructor in Lahaina. Then you go for four Open Water dives at excellent diving sites like Airport Beach in Kaanapali and Mala Wharf in Lahaina! The referral course significantly reduces the vacation time needed to complete your scuba certification.

For example, I completed my PADI Open Water Diver certification using the Referral Dives process. I finished my academics and confined water skills in California before leaving for a Hawaii vacation with my family. I am too much of a wimp to scuba dive in the cold water of Monterey, California, so I choose the warm Pacific Ocean of the Big Island for my four PADI open water dives. The Referral option got my PADI course done quickly! I had ample time.

How to Prepare

Before getting dive certified, the first thing to consider is assessing your physical and mental ability to complete the course. While scuba diving is relaxing and exciting, it requires some physical fitness to pass your PADI course. You must be able to complete a 200-meter unassisted swim, a 10-minute survival float, and demonstrate snorkeling skills. It is good to practice these before starting your course if you think any of these components will cause you to struggle.

Every PADI course has an academic portion. Much of your academics get completed before you spend any time in the ocean. For example, the PADI Open Water Manual has five chapters. The PADI Scuba Diver course includes the first three chapters whereas the Open Water Diver course means completing all five sections.

PADI eLearning or Paper Manual?

PADI offers two ways to complete the academic portion of any scuba certification. Deciding which avenue is best depends on your time, how much you want to spend, and how you best retain information.

PADI eLearning

PADI eLearning quickly became the most widely used method to complete the Open Water Diver certification. PADI eLearning is comprehensive and prepares you for the ocean training portion of the course. You go through the chapters more comprehensively than the manual, and PADI eLearning also administers the quizzes and final exams before you begin working with your instructor!

This program is awesome and beneficial for anyone with limited vacation time in Maui. Don’t spend your precious beach time answering quizzes and exams when you can utilize PADI eLearning. Get your academics done at home and focus on scuba diving in Hawaii. Even though eLearning costs more than a paper manual, many divers prefer eLearning because of its convenience, preparation, and ease of completion! Contact us to add eLearning to your Open Water Diver course reservation.

PADI Open Water Manual, 2015 Edition

The PADI Open Water manual consists of 5 chapters. At the end of each chapter, you will find a list of questions called Knowledge Reviews. These questions must be filled out and will prepare you for the quizzes and final exam. The PADI Scuba Diver course only focuses on the first 3 chapters and 3 quizzes. The Open Water scuba certification consists of all 5 chapters, 4 quizzes, and a 50-question final exam.

Your instructor explains each chapter of the manual so you understand the information before administering each test. Naturally, this requires you to complete much of the academics while on vacation since your instructor must be present to explain the chapters and administer the tests. On a typical day, this could add at least three hours per day of your scuba certification course. That becomes six-plus hours in total.

Invest Your Time and Effort

Scuba diving in Maui gives you a rewarding experience but it takes time to become a competent certified PADI diver. We can’t stress enough that preparing for your scuba certification leads to a massively enjoyable experience! If you have questions regarding scuba certifications in Maui, please email our dive shop at info@banyantreedivers.com or call (808) 446-6099.